By Daniel Idonor
ABUJA—AS promised during his maiden “Presidential Media Chat,” a live television programme on Sunday, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, approved the appointment of Prof. Barth Nnaji as Special Adviser on Power.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, said the renowned professor would  head the Presidential Task Force on Power recently established by the President and charged with developing and driving an action plan for the attainment of steady power supply in the country.

He is expected to work with other members of the task-force to evolve workable strategies for rapid improvement of power generation, transmission and distribution in the country.

Nnaji is a former Minister of Science & Technology and distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering of the Universities of Massachusetts and Pittsburgh in the United States of America

The statement added that members of the task-force who will report directly to the President and the Presidential Action Committee on Power include the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum of Corporation, NNPC; Managing Director, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN; Managing Director, Niger-Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC; and Director General, Bureau for Public Procurement, BPP.

Others are the Director General Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE; Accountant General of the Federation; Chief Executive, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC; CEOs of two power distribution companies; CEOs of two generating companies; Director of Power in the Ministry of Power and the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Special Projects.

The newly appointed special adviser would also work with seven special assistants who would oversee the monitoring of performance and progress on specific power sector issues in the areas of generation, transmission, distribution, fuel-to-power, the National Integrated Power Project, BPE, regulatory issues; other transition enablers, and labour issues.